new year, new layout design

Alright, folks what's the verdict? We diggin' the new layout design? I'll probably play with all weekend (yes, I know, that's what she said). 

smile through the tears for the camera.

I did a post in March 2012 about how the hardest part of my job was having to report on the death of a student (read here).  But I learned there are MUCH harder parts that go along with that in August 2012. I am finally ready to post about it. It has seriously taken me since then to figure out how to write about a tragic accident that happened in our district and how to do it without jeopardizing my job or my relationship with our press.

We had a student die in an accident. Not a random death that happened over the weekend to a student in high school (which is also horrible, don't get me wrong). This accident happened to a BABY, a little first grade girl was hit while waiting for her school bus a week after school started this year. She was hit in front of her home... in front of her two siblings... and in clear sight of a bus full of children.

For unknown reasons, this little girl, who I will call Sally, had crossed over the highway and was running back to her bus stop in front of her home when a truck hit her. A truck whose driver was focused on Sally's siblings who were waiting on the right side of the road for their bus. The truck driver had seen a school bus coming and was watching the other two children so closely (as he should have been) to make sure they didn't jump out for the bus, that he didn't notice Sally running in front of his car.

The school bus coming wasn't Sally and her brother and sister's bus, just one on its way to the school from another route. Maybe Sally thought the bus was hers, we will never know. The driver of the truck climbed out of his vehicle, saw Sally's body, which had been thrown around 30 feet, and just fell to pieces.

Now. This was hard enough as it was. A precious little girl being killed right around the road from the school in front of her family and a bus full of children. But it gets worse, because then the reporters swooped in like vultures.

I used to be one of those reporters, hungry for a story and wanting to be first on the scene. But while I was a reporter, I was also still human. And yes, they could have been pushed by their producers to get the story, but where was their humanity and compassion!?

These people came in with cameras ready to report in front of school, to interview the distraught principal and trying to get interviews from Sally's parents who had to literally hide out in another home to avoid being caught on camera.

One seriously asked me if there was some blood on the road still so they could get a good shot by the bus stop.

And there I was. Having to recount this incident over and over and over again for reporters or having to put the superintendent in front of their cameras. Needing to put on my PR mask and smile through the tears that I wanted to cry so badly. All I could think about were the nightmares Sally's brother and sister were going to have, how these teachers were going to have to explain to their students about Sally's death, how we need to draft a letter and a press release to send out, and what if it had been my child.

So, I prayed and prayed, and sent texts to friends asking for prayer. I just kept thinking God just help me get through this, help me smile and be that reassuring face for our students, teachers and staff, help me say the right thing that doesn't place blame on that poor truck drive, or our transportation director, or Sally or her parents. 

And I did. I kept it together long enough to talk to reporters and guide them to our superintendent and when they went live on the school campus for the 7 p.m. news.

Then I fell apart at home. Hugged my child until he said "mommy, stop" and cried until I couldn't.

This is the hardest part of my job. Not the little things I complain about like getting home late or 6 hour meetings and training's, it's having to smile through the tears for the camera.  And treat the death of a child like a PR situation I need to control.

This is not a post about me wanting sympathy for the difficult parts of my job, this a post about how we as a society HUNGER for horrible news. How reporters feel like they need to jump out in front a story about an absolutely horrible accident. And how we pay them to do it.

brag letters

I don't know about all of ya'll but every year around Christmas I can hardly wait to go through the Christmas cards at my parents' house from some of their friends to read the brag update letters that are sent along with some of the cards.

Some of them are truly nice update letters about what is going on in that particular family's life and exciting things they've done that year while others are about how their kids are better than your kids, their vacations are divine and how they had a personal massage session with a famous person (okay, that's a bit of a stretch, but you get the gist).

Well this year, I decided to send out a letter with our New Years Cards (which I totally need to send out...) that is about stuff that happened this year. The main focus of the letter needed to be that we moved and why we moved and such, so I tried my hardest to make it not be a "brag" letter...

Here's our card (with a few edits to protect some stuff):

and our letter:

We’ve had a busy, busy year in the Edmondson household!

Sawyer turned one in February and seems to grow a foot each day. He thoroughly enjoys anything having to do with Old McDonald, farms, or animals and is usually singing “E I E I O” as often as he can. Santa brought him a tool bench, kitchen set, and grill so he is cooking and working up a storm.

Josh was named the new Planning Director for _______in September and is adapting well to his new position. Because of his new title, the family had to relocate to the ____city limits. We were so blessed (and surprised) when our home in Macclesfield sold exactly four days after the “For Sale by Owner” sign went up in the yard. While we hated to leave the home that we spent so much time renovating, we found a beautiful home in _____that also recently underwent an extensive remodel and we are already settled in to life in “the city”.

Lauren is still at ______________ serving as their Communications & Community Relations Coordinator. Her favorite part of the move into town is getting those extra 30 minutes of sleep in the morning! Her second favorite part was of course getting to craft and decorate the new place.

Lauren and Josh still enjoy tailgating and attending ECU football games in the fall (thanks to both sets of grandparents who are happy to watch Sawyer on those days).

We hope that 2013 is full of more blessings for our family, as well as for you and yours.

Wishing you a wonderful new year,

Josh, Lauren & Sawyer Edmondson

What about ya'll do you have those letters you look forward to reading each year to see just how "braggy" some people can be?>